Day with a Difference

"Day with a Difference" is a daily letter i started few years back when i was pondering on doing something useful after everyday's routine. It now has more than 100 readers, most of them friends and friends of friends ... It has three sections, a inspirational quote, a motivational or informational article on anything under the sky and a knowledge base section ... they are all collected from various sites in the internet ... with inspiration as the only objective.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

"Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you."

SHARPEN YOUR AXE

Allan, a woodcutter, was employed in a timber company for ten years, yet he never got a raise. The company later hired Richard to do the same job. However, Richard got a raise within the first twelve months. Allan was disappointed and decided to approach the management of the company. He was told that his production had never increased over the last ten years. On the other hand Richard had cut more trees in the period of one year. The company however promised to give Allan a raise if his production goes up. He went back to work and tried harder but unfortunately his result did not improve. One day he happened to meet Richard and decided to get Richard’s advice. Richard told Allan that after he cut down a tree, he would take a short break to sharpen his axe. Allan suddenly realized that he was too busy cutting down trees that he failed to take a break to sharpen his axe.

It is important to take a break from the pressure of work to go on a holiday once in a while. Have a break to take care of your physical body and your precious mind. Spend some time on self-development to improve yourself and to renew your mind. There are plenty of seminars, books, tapes and materials in the market. Make it a habit to search for good books to read, and associate with people who are successful and with the same wave length and you will surely see success.

Expand your knowledge baseI can be straight or notI can be flat or roundI have three layersThe rounder I am - the straighter I amI can be a person's trademarkI can be chemically challenged

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success --- Helen Hayesz

Control, fear, doubt and anger; these are the real deadly killers of the human he race. We hurt ourselves by feeling these emotions and we hurt others by directing these emotions at them.But what if we could direct unconditional love to whomever we meet? What then? Could we help the world be a better place? Maybe, maybe not but we'd certainly help ourselves. Why do we let other people hurt us? Because we put expectations on them, expectations that we ourselves have failed to live up to with others.

If you love someone you feel it and that feeling is yours. Look at children. We still love our children when they disappoint us why not our workmates, teachers, friends and most of all partners? It's because we put conditions on what we give out.

Who hasn't bought a present or done a job around the house expecting something in return - why? If you want to help someone or give something you choose to do it because you want to, not for "Brownie Points". No other reason than just because you want to - that is showing love.

You can help an old lady with her groceries and it feels good so why not with everything else? When you learn that giving love without expectation is the purest of all faith, then and only then, will you be on the road to really knowing yourself.

Expand your knowledge base

The following sentences have two blanks that can be filled with two words that are anagrams of each other. Please find those words.

1. Mark's math __________ was a mild-mannered man. But one thing he would not tolerate was a __________. He would immediately fail anyone caught doing so.

2. The patient __________ his pain through physical therapy. He had seen enough __________ surgeries to know that too many people elected surgery when they shouldn't have.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation.

Alexis's Ark (http://www.alexisleon.com/index.html)

Alexis’ life can be termed as the best comeback story in the recent times. Alexis met with a fatal road accident on 2nd December 1993, which literally broke his spine and left him to be a wheelchair user for the rest of his life. At that time Alexis was on the threshold of hitting big time in the IT industry. Alexis has made the best use of his skill and his shrewd business acumen, he realized that there was a market for cheap computer books and approached some publishers saying that he could write books which would cost very less than the imported books.

Alexis has authored thirty-two books on various subjects related to computers: from programming, Y2K and IT to E-Business in the last seven years. Alexis plans to write a book about his eventful life, which has been tentatively titled as ‘Reinventing the Wheel’. A few chapters are already stored in the hard disk of his computer. Alexis has not yet decided whether he will write straight non-fiction autobiography or a fictionalized account of his life:

Alexis’ homepage on the web is titled ‘Alexis Ark’. You instinctively question him whether the title has any metaphorical connection with the biblical Noah’s Ark, does he see himself as a survivor and saviour? He politely denies any such significance and explains that he just likes the rhyming effect it has. But for hundreds of harassed software professionals around the world who email to him for finding solutions for their problems, Alexis is certainly a saviour.

Expand your knowledge base

My first is a number, my second another,And each, I assure you, will rhyme with the other.My first you will find is one-fifth of my second,And truly my whole, a long period reckoned.Yet my first and my second (nay, think not I cozen),When added together, will make but two dozen.

How many am I? ... Scroll down for the answer ...

Answer

Four Score.

(The word 'score' meaning twenty, derived apparently from the ancient practice of counting sheep in lots of twenty, and keeping tally by cutting ('scoring') notches into a stick.)

Monday, February 19, 2007

Don't look back on happiness or dream of it in the future. You are only sure of today; do not let yourself be cheated out of it. - Henry ward beecher.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO WASTE TIME HATING PEOPLE --- Written in 2002 by Crystin Miller

Never be awful to anyone, that person you were awful to may teach you the most.

Always remember...you are a somebody, God didn't take the time to create a nobody.

Always smile, you never know whose day you might be making.

Never 'forget' to say hi to anyone, never miss the chance to laugh or smile, never get too caught up in yourself that you forget to help others.

Never forget that you aren't the only one with problems, and most of all...never forget that when you feel like you only have one friend, that friend will remind you of all the others.

If you forget about all the bad things in life, the good will take over.

If fear is staring you in the face, close your eyes so you don't have to look at it.

Be yourself, you can't be anyone else...The best you can be is you!

Expand your knowledge base

A clean joke to start your week with laughter

What Does Jesus Drive?

A Sunday School teacher of preschoolers told her students that she wanted each of them to have learned one fact about Jesus by the next Sunday. The following week she asked each child in turn what he or she had learned. Susie said, "He was born in a manger."

Bobby said, "He threw the money changers out of the temple."

Little Johnny said, "He has a red pickup truck but he doesn't know how to drive it."

Curious, the teacher asked, "And where did you learn that, Johnny?"

"From my Daddy," said Little Johnny. "Yesterday we were driving down the highway, and this red pickup truck pulled out in front of us and Daddy yelled at him, 'Jesus Christ! Why don't you learn how to drive?'"

Friday, February 16, 2007

Today's Inspirational Quote:Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from the inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves. - Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Mitch Albom (http://www.albom.com)MITCH ALBOM is the author of nine books, including the newest, “For One More Day”, published 9/26/06. His first novel, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven", (9/03) is the most successful U.S. hardback first novel ever and has to date sold over 8 million copies worldwide "Tuesdays With Morrie," (1997) his chronicle of time spent with a beloved but dying college professor, spent four years on the NY Times bestsellers list and is now the most successful memoir ever published. Both books were eventually turned into celebrated TV films. The critically acclaimed “Five People You Meet in Heaven” aired on ABC in winter, 2004. Oprah Winfrey produced the film version of "Tuesdays With Morrie" in December 1999; starring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria. The film garnered four Emmy awards, including best TV film, director, actor and supporting actor.

An award-winning journalist and radio host, Albom wrote the screenplay for "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," and is an established playwright, having authored numerous pieces for the theater, including the off-Broadway version of “Tuesdays With Morrie” (co-written with Jeffrey Hatcher) which has seen more than 40 productions nationwide, and several recent comedies which have been produced and performed in venues across the country.

Albom has founded three charities in the metropolitan Detroit area: "The Dream Fund," established in 1989, allows disadvantaged children to become involved with the arts. "A Time To Help," founded in 1998, brings volunteers together once a month to tackle various projects in Detroit, including staffing shelters, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, and operating meals on wheels programs for the elderly. “S.A.Y Detroit,” Albom’s most recent effort, is an umbrella program to fund shelters and care for the homeless in his city. He also raises money for literacy projects through a variety of means including his performances with The Rock Bottom Remainders, a band made up of writers which includes Steven King, Dave Barry, Scott Turrow, Amy Tan and Ridley Pearson. Albom serves on the boards of various charities and, in 1999, was named National Hospice Organization's Man of the Year.

Expand your knowledge baseA clean joke to sign off your week with laughterChristopher's class was having an English lesson, and the teacher called on Christopher to recite a sentence with a direct object.Christopher stood and thought, then said, "Teacher, everybody thinks you are beautiful.""Why thank you, Christopher," the teacher said, blushing. "But what is the direct object?""A good report card next month," he replied.